The Dark Knight Rises star Christian Bale is reportedly visiting the victims today of the Aurora movie theater shooting, according to The Denver Post.

According to Warner Bros., “Mr. Bale is there as himself, not representing Warner Brothers.”

Twelve people were killed and 59 others wounded early Friday after a gunman opened fire during a midnight screening of Bale’s latest film, The Dark Knight Rises, at an Aurora, CO, movie theater.

The film’s Paris premiere was subsequently cancelled, and members of the film’s cast and crew released statements regarding the tragedy (read director Christopher Nolan‘s).

After the shooting, an informal campaign was launched on Facebook to get Bale dressed in his Batman film costume to visit the shooting victims in the hospital – a sweet sentiment, though highly inappropriate. But having Bale visit as himself on his own accord is a much better way to handle this. Some people were saying that having him visit might cause more trauma, but what happened on Friday is not the fault of the actors, filmmakers, or studio – it’s the sole fault of the person who opened fire in a theater filled with innocent people. I know that if I had been injured in a situation like this, it would mean a lot to me to have someone like Bale visit me. [And there's my two cents.]

Below is a photo posted by The Denver Post of Bale visiting with one of the shooting victims, Carey Rottman.

Update: The Denver Post updated their story to add that Bale spent over two hours at the Medical Center of Aurora this afternoon visiting with seven patients wounded in the Aurora shooting, five of whom were at the center and two who came from Swedish Medical Center to meet Bale. Not surprisingly, reports are that “The patients were really happy to meet Bale.” (See, told you!) Also, Bale and his wife, Sibi Blazic, meet with doctors, Aurora police officers, and emergency medicial technicians who were first responders at the scene of the shooting on Friday.

“It was good for the patients,” Voloch said [Bill Voloch, interim president of Medical Center of Aurora]. “We hope it was therapeutic for them, and all the staff really appreciated him coming.”

According to Voloch, Bale contacted the medical center to visit with the patients and police, and asked that the media not be notified. The photo above was taken during Bale’s visit at the medical center with Carey Rottman, whose friends then tweeted out the photo.

Update: The Daily Mail has posted some images of Christian Bale and wife Sibi Blazic placing flowers on a memorial for the victims in Aurora. One of the photos is here below; visit the Daily Mail for more photos from Bale’s visit. Also, below from ABC World News is a video report of Bale’s visit, as well as updates on the gunman, who’s in police custody, and stories from the victims.

Yes came and spent hours with the patients and the first responders and the hospital staff, how very nice of him to do this and we here in Denver think very highly of him. I will never let anyone say anything bad about him, ever.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_MFHSVIZJLQPDPEB4XF57MUJ7QY MadMike

Sometimes doing something as simple as visiting traumatized victims in a hospital can make you the hero we deserve. Well done, Christian.